er from old
association.

"If you live like this all the time, Doctor Churchill," said John
Lansing Birch, leaning back in his chair at last with the air of a man
who asks no more of the gods, "I advise you to keep up a bachelor
establishment to the end of your days."

"How would that suit you, Mrs. Fields?" asked the doctor, laughing.

Mrs. Fields, from her place at the end of the table--they had insisted
on having her sit down with them--answered deliberately:

"As long as a man's a man I suppose nothing on earth ever will make him
feel so satisfied with himself and all creation as being set down in
front of a lot of eatables. Now what gives me most peace of mind
to-night is knowing that that little Ellen Donohue, asleep on my bed,
has got enough new clothes, by this day's work, to make a very good
beginning of an outfit."

"Now, how do you old bachelors feel?" cried Celia, amidst laughter, and
the party broke up.

At ten o'clock that evening, when Charlotte had seen her sister
comfortably in bed--for Celia still needed help in undressing--had
tucked in Just and warned Jeff that it was bedtime, the telephone-bell
rang.

Lanse and Captain Rayburn sat reading in the living-room, where the
telephone stood upon a desk, and Lanse, who was near it, moved lazily to
answer it. But before he could lift the receiver to his ear Charlotte
had run into the room and was taking it from him, murmuring, "It's for
me--I'm sure it is."

"Well, I could have called you," said Lanse, looking curiously at her
as, with cheeks like poppies, she sat down at the desk and answered.
With ears wide open, although he had again taken up the magazine he had
laid down, he listened to Charlotte's side of the conversation. It was
brief, and no more remarkable than such performances are apt to be, but
Lanse easily appreciated the fact that it was giving his sister immense
satisfaction.

"Hullo--yes--yes!" she called. "Yes--oh, _is_ she? Yes--yes, I'm so
glad! Yes--of course you are. I'm _so_ glad! Thank you. Yes--Good
night!" Charlotte hung up the receiver and swung round from the desk,
her face radiant, her eyes like stars.

"Is she, indeed?" interrogated Lanse, lifting brotherly, penetrating
eyes to her face. "Engagement just announced? When is she to be married?
I'm glad you're glad--you might so easily have been jealous."

Charlotte laughed--a ripple of merriment which was contagious, for
Captain Rayburn smiled over the evening paper,